Elevator



(No Model.) l

" W. A. 8v H. W. PLAGIE'R.

ELEVATOR.

Patented Mar. 16,v 1897.

Wilznesses WILLIAM A. PLAOIER AND HARRY W. PLACIER, OF LONDON, OHIO.

ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 579,076, dated Mareh'l, 1897.

Application filed October 9, 1896. Serial No. 608,874. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, WILLIAM A. PLAcInR and HARRY W.PLAcInR, citizens of the United States, residing at London, in the county of Madison and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Elevator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to elevators, and is designed, primarily, for use in mills and warehouses for hoisting and lowering flour, feed, dce., and generally as a passenger or freight elevator. The elevator is also useful as a iireescape for enabling persons to descend from the windows of burning buildings and the firemen to ascend.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will be pointed out in the ensuing description.

The invention consists in animproved elevator for the purpose specified embodying certain novel features and details of con` struction, as hereinafter particularljT de` scribed, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of an elevator and the framework thereof constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken about centrally through the same and at right angles to the operating-shafts.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, l designates four standards forming the principal members of the frame in which the movable parts of the elevator are mounted. These standards are arranged to form the corner-posts of a frame which is substantially square in horizontal section, and said standards may either be supported upon base-timbers or foot-pieces 2, or they may constitute vertical stationary guides in such part of a building as it may be desired to place the elevator. The standards 1 are connected in opposing pairs by horizontal tiebraces or connecting-bars 3, extending at right angles to each other and spaced apart vertically at suitable intervals, said braces serving to materially stiften and strengthen the standards relatively to each other and to complete the stationary framework. The front and rear standards are provided in their inner adjacent surfaces with vertical longitudinal grooves 4.,for1nin g guideways for the tapered opposite extremities of the crossbars or slats 5 of an endless carrier. This carrier, which forms the elevator proper, comprises spaced bands 6, which travel over drums or pulleys 7, fast on a horizontal shaft S at the top of the framework, said shaft being journaled in bearings on the frame, and also having an additional pulley 9 for thereception of a driven belt, from which motion is communicated to the elevator. The bands 6 at the bottom of the elevator pass around other drums or pulleys l0 on a horizontal shaft ll, journaled in the bearings on the frame, as shown. It may be stated here that in lieu of the bands 6 and 'pulleys hemp or wire cables or sprocketchains and sprocket-- wheels may be employed.

The slats or cross-bars 5 are arranged in groups of three, and to the outer bars of each group are pivotally connected at their inner edges shelves or steps l2. From the outer edges of said shelves stay-chains 13 extend toward and connect to the intermediate bar or slat 5 of each group, and these chains are so arranged with respect to the shelves or steps that while the lower step is supported in a substantially horizontal position the shelf or step next above it is allowed to fall and depend in a substantially vertical position, where it will be out of the way of persons or objects upon the lower shelf of each pair. It will thus be seen that the shelves or steps are arranged in pairs and that one shelf of each pair is in its operative position, while the other shelf of the pair is folded. By this arrangement it will be seen that one shelf of each pair is extended and supported horizontally upon each side of the frame of the elevator, so that as persons or objects are elevated on one side others may be lowered upon the opposite side, the weights of such persons or objects thus serving in a measure to counterbalance each other. The grooves 4, forming the guideways for the bars or slats 5, have flared upper ends for facilitating the entrance of the extremities of said bars, and near the base of the frame the grooves are cut out upon their inner sides, as shown at 14, to permit the exit and entrance of said bars or slats from and to the guideways.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that a very simple and inexpensive construction of elevator is obtained in which persons may simultaneously ascend and descend. By reason of the shelves or steps being hinged to the bars or slats they are adapted to fold as they pass over the upper pulleys or wheels and under the lower ones, thus economizing space. The elevator is particularly useful in hoisting and lowering flour and feed in mills and warehouses and for carrying freight and passengers, and is also valuable as a fire-escape, enabling persons to descend from the windows or roofs of burning buildings and firemen to ascend.

It will be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new isl. In an elevator, the combination with spaced standards, upper and lower drums mounted to revolve between said standards, an endless band traveling around said drums, a platform having` a hinged connection to said band and adapted to automatically adjust itself at substantially a right angle to the band in its ascent and to fold down parallel to the band in its descent, and a iieXible brace interposed between the band and the platform to hold the latter in position when extending at an angle to the band, substantially as described.

2. In an elevator, the combination with spaced standards provided in their adjacent surfaces with longitudinal grooves, of an endless band arranged between the standards, cross-bars secured to said band and having their ends slidin gly mounted in said grooves, shelves or steps pivotally connected to said cross-bars, and stay-chains for supporting said shelves horizontally and allowing the same to fold, substantially as described.

3. In an elevator, the combination with spaced standards havinglongitudinal grooves in their adjacent surfaces, of an endless band moving between said standards, cross-bars secured to said band and having their ends arranged to slide in said grooves, shelves or steps pivotally connected to said cross-bars, and stay-chains for supporting said shelves horizontally, the stay-chains of alternate shelves being reversely extended so that the alternate shelves will be supported horizontally upon the upwardly and downwardly moving portions respectively of the band and at the same time adapted to fold, substantially as described.

fi. In an elevator, the combination with spaced standards having longitudinal grooves in their adjacent surfaces, of an endless band moving between said standards, cross-bars secured to said band and having their ends arranged to slide in said grooves, shelves or steps pivotally connected to said cross-bars and arranged in reversely-folding pairs, and stay-chains interposed between the free edges of said shelves and an intermediate cross-bar located between the cross-bars to which said shelves are connected, substantially as described.

5. In an elevator, the combination with four standards suitably connected and braced to form an upright frame which is substantially square in cross-section, said standards being provided upon their inner surfaces with guideways, of wheels or pulleys journaled in the upper and lower portions of said frame, spaced parallel bands runnin g over said wheels or pulleys, cross-bars arranged in groups connecting said bands and having their ends projected to slide in said guideways, a series of automatically folding shelves or steps pivotally connected to the outer bars in each group, and exible braces connect ing the shelves and the intermediate bars of the respective groups, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto afxed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. PLACIER. HARRY IV. PLACIER.

Witnesses M. M. CREATE, T. H. ROLAND. 

